Rail agency to propose crew-size standards

The Federal Railroad Administration said it will soon propose a rule setting minimum crew sizes for rail operations and requiring two-person crews on trains transporting crude oil.
Rulemakings on hazardous material transport and securing trains are also forthcoming. Three Railroad Safety Advisory Committee Working Groups — created last summer in the aftermath of the deadly derailment in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, of a train transporting crude oil — were to come up with recommendations to be adopted by the committee. When one of the working groups couldn't come to a consensus on crew-size guidelines, the FRA stepped in to propose a new rule, it said.
Current rules do not mandate a minimum crew size.
“Safety is our highest priority, and we are committed to taking the necessary steps to assure the safety of those who work for railroads and shippers, and the residents and communities along shipping routes,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement. “The proposed rulemaking on crew size is the latest effort in our comprehensive strategy to ensure crude oil is transported as safely as possible.”